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Become a Co-op Voter

Article was added on Thursday, September 01, 2016

As member-owned electric cooperatives, voting is already in our
DNA. It's how we maintain an electric utility which is
responsive to the consumers it serves. But voting also plays
a crucial part in our representative democracy. Federal,
state and local elections offer an opportunity to exercise a civic
responsibility -- to select the best leaders for our
communities.

Yet in places all over America, even those served by electric
cooperatives, citizens aren't exercising that right.

In the 2012 national elections, voter turnout dropped overall,
but the decline in rural counties was 18 percent-twice that of the
nation as a whole.

And when voters miss the chance to vote, they also lose the
opportunity to communicate their concern to our leaders about the
issues that matter to us, where we work, live and raise
families.

Reliable electricity, access to rural broadband and the quality
of our healthcare system are just a few issues we all care
about. Still, they only become priorities if enough people
show elected officials that they are paying attention.
Registering to vote and voting are the most effective ways to send
this message.

When we go to the polls with the cooperative principle of
"Concern for Community" in mind, we instantly improve our political
system. It's a system designed to produce a government "of
the people, by the people and for the people." People like
you and me.

I'd like you to join me in a new initiative to get every
eligible person registered to vote-you, me, our family and
friends-and take the pledge to BECOME A CO-OP VOTER.

Santee Electric Cooperative has joined America's electric
cooperatives in launching a campaign to help get out the vote and
insert issues important to co-ops into the public discussion.
Called "Co-ops Vote," this effort will help boost voter turnout in
areas served by cooperatives across the country to ensure that our
voices are heard loud and clear every day, and especially on
Election Day.

Here's what you can do to help. Visit the Co-ops Vote web site,
WWW.VOTE.COOP, and take the
pledge to BECOME A CO-OP VOTER to support your community and
electric cooperative when casting your vote in 2016. The web site
will give you information on your elected officials and candidates,
the voter registration process, election dates and locations, and
background about eight key co-op issues we want our elected leaders
to understand: rural broadband access, hiring and honoring
veterans, low-income energy assistance, cybersecurity, water
regulation, rural health care access, affordable and reliable
energy and renewable energy.

Co-ops Vote is a non-partisan program developed by the National
Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the national
service organization that represents the nation's more than 900
private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. With
42 million members across the nation, electric co-ops are a
powerful voice on national issues that have a local impact.

If you have any questions, please visit WWW.VOTE.COOP. I hope to see you
at the polls!